NASCAR

Martin Joins Turner for Nationwide, Truck Races

Team Release

Thursday, January 13, 2011

NHMS/HHP Images

Turner Motorsports announced Wednesday the addition of racing legend Mark Martin to its 2011 driver lineup. Martin will pilot the No. 32 in Nationwide Series events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway with crew chief Trent Owens calling the shots. He will also drive the No. 32 in Camping World Truck Series races at Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway.

"I'm excited to be running back in the Nationwide and Truck Series again," said Martin. "Everyone at Dollar General and Turner Motorsports has been great and I'm looking forward to hitting the track with them next year. Working with Turner [Motorsports], I get to extend my relationship with Chevrolet and continue to have Hendrick horsepower under the hood which is really, really good."

Martin brings unparalleled experience to Turner. With a career spanning 30 years, he has 40 victories in 794 Sprint Cup Series starts, holds the Nationwide records for most victories (48) and most poles (30), and has seven victories in 23 Truck starts.

"The races we picked for both series are personal favorites of mine. I'd love to win another Truck race, and I've got to get back to Victory Lane in the Dollar General car so I can keep Kyle [Busch] from breaking my Nationwide record," Martin joked.

In five Nationwide Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Martin has three victories, four top-fives, five top-10s and two pole awards to his credit. In only two Nationwide starts at Auto Club Speedway, he has earned one victory and a third-place finish. At Michigan International Speedway, he has two wins, eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes and one pole in his 11 starts. Martin will make his Kentucky Nationwide debut in 2011.

Team owner Steve Turner is very pleased with the experience that Martin brings with him and has high expectations for his organization in 2011.

"We are thrilled to announce the addition of Mark Martin to our stable of drivers," Turner said. "Mark shares my same passion for helping groom young talent and has expressed interest in helping us get our young drivers to the Cup level. I can't think of a better mentor than Mark Martin."